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Flint Hills Therapeutic Riding Center to close after Boeing move left hole in budget

Boeing provided more than half of budget

WICHITA — A cash-strapped therapeutic horse riding center in Wichita plans to close next month, unable to replace funding lost when its main corporate sponsor left town.

The Flint Hills Therapeutic Riding Center is about $50,000 a year short of the money needed to stay open, The Wichita Eagle (http://bit.ly/NKAH3s ) reported.

The 14-year-old horse therapy center in southeast Wichita lost its biggest corporate sponsor when Boeing Co. moved out of Wichita. Boeing had provided more than half of its budget.

Also, now Medicaid no longer covers its clients.

Among those whose days on horseback at the center are due to end is 9-year-old Tatum Packard, who has developmental disabilities. During her three years at the center her mother says she has gotten confidence, exercise and better health.

“We’ve talked about it,” said Shelly Packard, the girl’s mother. “She’s going to miss it terribly. There’s really nothing anywhere else in this area. What’s so sad is the staff we have, we have a great, great team with the volunteers and it’s all going to break up.”

Fundraising efforts launched in September brought in some small donors and a lot of volunteers, said Amanda Meinhardt, an instructor and therapist. But the big corporate donors haven’t joined in.

Each therapy session costs the center an estimated $125, but the center says it can’t charge families more than $35 per session because many of them already face huge medical bills.

Board members say the monthly shortfalls are estimated at between $5,000 and $6,000.

“It’s not like we haven’t tried,” Meinhardt said. “We’ve applied for 12 grants, and we haven’t gotten one. We’ve gone into numerous businesses and given them fliers. We’ve sought help at the corporate level.

“It’s just not working, and I’m not sure why.”

The center’s staff includes a director, a worker who cares for the horses and instructors. It costs about $6,000 a year to provide for each horse.

“In my eyes, there’s just quite a number of people who can’t relate to what we’re doing,” said Flint Hills board member Tad Snarenberger, a Wichita businessman. “It’s a tough sell to people. These are people who aren’t subject to caring for horses, and it can be difficult at times to see the outcomes of our program.”

Tatum’s mother said her daughter has gained confidence riding and learning to care for the horses.

“It’s not easy to measure for some because there are so many variables,” Packard said. “It’s a never-ending journey, but it’s priceless to give confidence to a little girl who’s known she’s different for a long time.